Recruiting

Observational Study

Sponsor:

Mayo Clinic

Code:

NCT04816006

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Breast Neoplasms

Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8

Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8

Anatomic Stage IIIA Breast Cancer AJCC v8

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 50+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Interventions

Aerobic Exercise Training

Health Education (Active comparator)

Study Details

Brief summary:

This phase II trial tests whether an exercise intervention works to improve cognitive function in breast cancer survivors. Many breast cancer survivors report cancer-related cognitive impairment, which this has recently become a priority in clinical research due to its dramatic impact on daily functioning, quality of life, and long-term health. Aerobic exercise has the potential to improve cognitive function and brain health in older adults and is recommended as a safe, tolerable, and accessible complementary therapy for breast cancer survivors. This study aims to understand the effects of physical activity compared with health education on memory, attention, and brain health in women with breast cancer. Study findings may help researchers design more programs that can improve memory, attention, and brain health in other women with breast cancer.

Conditions

Breast Cancer

Breast Neoplasms

Anatomic Stage I Breast Cancer AJCC v8

Anatomic Stage II Breast Cancer AJCC v8

Anatomic Stage IIIA Breast Cancer AJCC v8

Study ID

NCT04816006

Start date

Feb 22, 2024

Status verified date

Sep, 2026

Completion date

Jul 31, 2027

Anticipated

Primary completion date

Jul 31, 2027

Anticipated

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Sex: Female

Age: 50+

Healthy Volunteers: Not accepted

Inclusion Criteria

  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Age ≥50 years at time of pre-registration visit according to participant report and/or clinical determination
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: First, primary diagnosis of stage I-IIIa breast cancer according to participant report and/or clinical determination
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Post-surgery and completed primary treatment (i.e., surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy) 3-60 months prior to registration according to participant report and/or clinical determination
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Sedentary except for casual lifestyle recreation defined as self-reporting no more than 90 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise within the last 6 months
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Self-reported ability to complete assessments by themselves or with assistance
  • REGISTRATION: Age ≥50 years as confirmed via clinical determination
  • REGISTRATION: Able to provide medical record release to confirm eligibility
  • REGISTRATION: First, primary diagnosis of stage I-IIIa breast cancer as confirmed via clinical determination
  • REGISTRATION: Post-surgery and completed primary treatment (i.e., surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy) 3-60 months prior to pre-registration as confirmed via clinical determination
  • REGISTRATION: No evidence of possible cognitive impairment as assessed using the Telephone Interview of Cognitive status (13-item modified version) (TICS-M; score > 21) NOTE: Only individuals who pass the TICS-M during pre-registration will be invited to participate in the urine substudy
  • REGISTRATION: Receive physician's clearance to participate in an exercise program

NOTE: Individuals with conditions/diagnoses deemed important by the primary investigator will be required to provide clearance for exercise from their cardiologist. Example conditions include:

  • History of major multiple myocardial infarctions (MI)
  • Recent electrocardiogram (ECG) changes or recent MI
  • Resting or unstable angina
  • Significant multivessel coronary occlusion (≥ 70%) on angiography
  • Uncontrolled and/or serious arrhythmias
  • 3rd degree heart block
  • Acute congestive heart failure or ejection fraction < 30%

  • REGISTRATION: Ability to complete assessments by themselves or with assistance

Exclusion Criteria:

  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Stage 0 breast cancer diagnosis OR metastatic disease
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Currently receiving or < 3 months since receiving chemotherapy or radiation therapy for cancer, or greater than 60 months post primary treatment
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Planned surgery during the intervention period
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Second cancer diagnosis (excluding non-invasive skin cancers or carcinoma-in-situ for any cancer)
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Unable to travel regularly to the study locations for intervention sessions and data collection
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Unwilling to return to enrolling institution for follow-up
  • PRE-REGISTRATION: Self-reported inability to walk without assistance or devices
  • REGISTRATION: History of stroke, transient ischemic attack, other neurological disorders, or brain surgery involving tissue removal as confirmed via clinical determination
  • REGISTRATION: Clinically significant TICS-M score (< 21) during baseline procedures
  • REGISTRATION: Not able to provide physician re-clearance for exercise if required based upon clinically significant baseline exercise test (as determined by ECG and blood pressure monitoring)
  • REGISTRATION: Contraindications to functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in accordance with the Mayo Clinic Department of Radiology safety protocols
  • REGISTRATION: Clinically significant MRI scan as determined by physician review in which the following is advised via radiologist overread: remarkable/abnormal limited diagnostic brain image with recommended medical follow-up
  • REGISTRATION: Enrolled in another physical activity program
  • REGISTRATION: Unable to walk without assistance or devices
  • REGISTRATION: Unwilling to complete study requirements
  • REGISTRATION: Unwilling to be randomized to the exercise group or health education group
  • REGISTRATION: Unable or unwilling to continuously wear and regularly sync/charge an activity tracker during the study period
  • REGISTRATION: Unable to travel regularly to the study locations for intervention sessions and data collection
  • REGISTRATION: Unwilling to return to enrolling institution for follow-up

Study Design

Enrollment

160 participants

Anticipated

Allocation

Randomized

Intervention Model

Parallel Assignment

Primary purpose

Supportive Care

Interventions and Outcome Measures

Arms

experimental: Arm I (Aerobic Exercise)

Patients attend 3 weekly exercise sessions over 60-75 minutes per week in weeks 1-2, 2 sessions over 70-70 each week in weeks 3-4, 1 session over 90-120 minutes each week in weeks 5-8, biweekly sessions over 120-150 per week across weeks 9-16, and monthly sessions over at least 150 minutes per week in weeks 17-24 for a total of 20 supervised sessions. Patients undergo MRI and wear an accelerometer throughout the study.

active comparator: Arm II (Health Education)

Patients participate in up to 9 monthly classes/webinars. Patients also receive informational pdfs, videos, and/or podcasts, and a one-year subscription to the Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Patients undergo a gait assessment and MRI, as well as wear an accelerometer throughout the study.

Interventions

Aerobic Exercise Training

Breast cancer survivors in the intervention group will participate in a 24-week moderate intensity exercise program led by community-based fitness center personal trainers. Individually-tailored exercise prescriptions will be developed based upon each participant's baseline maximal graded exercise test (heart rate corresponding with %VO2 peak) and symptom limitation. Sessions will be progressive in nature such that the volume of exercise increases across weeks. Treadmill walking is the primary mode of exercise. However, participants will be permitted to use other cardiovascular equipment (e.g., elliptical machines, stationary bicycles) as prescribed by their exercise trainer. The trainer will supervise three weekly exercise sessions in Weeks 1-2, two in Weeks 3-4, one in Weeks 5-8, biweekly across weeks 9-16, and monthly in Weeks 17-24 (N=20 supervised sessions).

Health Education (Active comparator)

Breast cancer survivors in the Health Education group will participate in education sessions with a health educator and receive monthly newsletters/webinars (N=20 total contacts) across 24 weeks. The program will include cancer support and discussion of cancer-related wellness topics (e.g., stress management, coping). Control group participants will be offered a 6-month fitness center membership upon study completion.

Primary outcome measure

  • Change in inhibitory control [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in cognitive flexibility [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in executive function processing [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in short-term memory [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in verbal memory [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in working memory [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in brain volume [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6) ]
  • Change in white matter integrity [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6) ]
  • Change in resting state functional connectivity [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6) ]
  • Change in self-reported cognitive function [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Reach [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0) ]
  • Adoption [ Time Frame: post-intervention (month 6) ]
  • Change in Cardiorespiratory Fitness [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in Cancer-related Fatigue [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Implementation [ Time Frame: post-intervention (month 6) ]
  • Maintenance [ Time Frame: follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in processing speed [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]
  • Change in attention [ Time Frame: baseline (Month 0), post-intervention (month 6), follow up (month 12) ]

Central Contacts and Locations

Central contacts

Melissa Cole, MS

480-574-4052cole.melissa@mayo.edu

Clinical Trials Referral Office

855-776-0015mayocliniccancerstudies@mayo.edu

Locations

Mayo Clinic in Arizona

Recruiting

Phoenix, Arizona, United States, 85054

Contacts

Melissa Cole, MS

480-574-4052cole.melissa@mayo.edu

Clinical Trials Referral Office

855-776-0015mayocliniccancerstudies@mayo.edu

Principal Investigator:

Diane K. Ehlers, Ph.D.

More Information

Sponsor

Mayo Clinic

Last update posted

Sep 8, 2026

Last verified

Sep, 2026

Keywords

  • physical activity
  • exercise
  • cognition
  • brain health
  • breast cancer

Trial information was received from ClinicalTrials.gov and was last updated on 2026-09-10. This information was provided to ClinicalTrials.gov by Mayo Clinic on 2026-09-08.